Aslib got rid of pretty much its entire library when they left its
previous premises. Rumour has it that much of the stock went to a
University in Zimbabwe.
Charles
Professor Charles Oppenheim
Department of Information Science
Loughborough University
Loughborough
Leics LE11 3TU
Tel 01509-223065
Fax 01509-223053
e mail [log in to unmask]
----- Original Message -----
From: "Stella Dextre Clarke" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Wednesday, December 15, 2004 11:19 AM
Subject: Re: Future of Aslib
> Hear Hear! Aslib has been going down the hill for the last 25 years or
> more, and it's no use weeping for the glory days of Belgrave Square.
> Maybe useful to buy their membership mailing list before it becomes too
> out of date? And CILIP/TFPL could approach the individuals who lead the
> more successful training courses, to add to their own portfolios? The
> journals have already gone to Emerald, so nothing to salve there. And as
> for the library collection - last time I visited the neglect was painful
> to behold. The once renowned collection of thesauri still had a few
> jewels, but who wants the reference works of the seventies and eighties?
> Only a few dedicated scholars.
> Stella
>
> *****************************************************
> Stella Dextre Clarke
> Information Consultant
> Luke House, West Hendred, Wantage, Oxon, OX12 8RR, UK
> Tel: 01235-833-298
> Fax: 01235-863-298
> [log in to unmask]
> *****************************************************
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Chartered Library and Information Professionals
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of C.Oppenheim
> Sent: 15 December 2004 10:37
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: Future of Aslib
>
>
> I agree with Ian; perhaps the only thing worth having is the goodwill
> associated with the name Aslib, and I suspect it's value is not that
> great any more.
>
> Charles
>
> Professor Charles Oppenheim
> Department of Information Science
> Loughborough University
> Loughborough
> Leics LE11 3TU
>
> Tel 01509-223065
> Fax 01509-223053
> e mail [log in to unmask]
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Ian Johnson" <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Wednesday, December 15, 2004 10:22 AM
> Subject: Re: Future of Aslib
>
>
> The real issue is whether any prospective buyer would operate Aslib as a
> pure commercial entity like Tfpl, or try to continue as membership based
> association. Aslib has masqueraded as a professional association for a
> long time, but there is little obvious evidence that it has represented
> the corporate bodies' interests in any significant and useful way in
> recent years. As a commercial entity, it has been 'selling off the
> family silver' for years, and has nothing left to sell other than its
> name and the business record of its training and consultancy activities,
> both of which have an unpredictable potential. What they are worth is
> therefore debatable, and I'm not sure that I would want CILIP to invest
> in purchasing them rather than developing its own activities in the same
> fields.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Chartered Library and Information Professionals
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of JACKIE FISHLEIGH
> Sent: 15 December 2004 10:00
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: Future of Aslib
>
>
> I was amazed that a UK library membership group could go under as a
> direct result of the consequences of 9/11. Charles Oppenheim's
> explanation makes far more sense to me. I think we should be honest
> about the difficulties faced by Aslib because if these are not properly
> resolved what future can there be.
>
> Jackie Fishleigh
> Librarian
> Payne Hicks Beach
> 10 New Square
> Lincoln's Inn
> WC2A 3QG
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Chartered Library and Information Professionals
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Crawford, John
> Sent: 15 December 2004 09:49
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: Future of Aslib
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Chartered Library and Information Professionals on behalf
> of Alan Pritchard
> Sent: Wed 15/12/2004 08:50
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Cc:
> Subject: Re: Future of Aslib
>
>
>
> > I wonder whether CILIP would consider this an opportunity to
> discuss
> > with Aslib the possible merger of the two organisations. There
> is almost
> > complete overlap in subject interests, and it would seem
> better to have
> > one strong organisation representing both individual and
> corporate
> > members of the profession.
> >
> > Besides, a joint organisation might then end up with a library
> again!
> >
>
> I found that very sad. I did a summer work placement at Belgrave
> Square
> when I was a student. Spent a lot of time reading old journals
> (ProcBSIB,
> JDoc etc) But before I fully go into 'boring old fart
> reminiscing' mode, I
> do have a more substantial point.
>
> I just wonder if a single organisation consisting of both
> personal and
> corporate members could actually work. Other than just having a
> few of the
> latter as supporting members. There are enough conflicts of
> interests with
> differing segments of personal members, but I could see much
> more
> fundamental conflict between, say, the LA acting as the
> professional
> regulator of special librarians and attempting to represent the
> interests
> of the corporate employers of those librarians.
>
> I may be out of date, but I am not aware of any major
> organisations which
> operate on this model. BCS, IEE, IoD - personal members. CBI etc
> -
> corporate members.
>
> Best wishes
> Alan Pritchard
> The GLOBAL GAZETTEER(tm): the world on file
> http://www.allm-geodata.com
> Tel: +44 (0) 1202 417 477
>
> NOTE my new email address: [log in to unmask]
>
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